Authentication based on through-body signals

ABSTRACT

Techniques are described for user authentication based on a signal that is transmitted through an individual&#39;s body, and detected using device(s) in physical contact with the individual. A signal, such as an electrical signal or a vibrational signal, may be transmitted from a first device and received by a second device that is in physical contact with the individual. The received signal may be employed to determine a body signature for the individual. The body signature may identify the individual among a population of individuals, given the particular alterations to the propagating signal caused by the individual&#39;s physiology. Accordingly, the body signature may be employed as a form of biometric data that is useable to authenticate the individual to access a secure area, log in to a device or an application, or for other purposes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/643,070, titled “Authentication Based on Through-Body SignalsDetected in Body Area Networks,” filed on Jul. 6, 2017, which claimspriority to and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.62/366,349, titled “Authentication Based on Through-Body SignalsDetected in Body Area Networks,” filed on Jul. 25, 2016, the entiretiesof which are incorporated by reference into the present disclosure.

BACKGROUND

Organizations and individuals that operate and/or manage computingsystems may implement various security measures to prevent unauthorizedindividuals, devices, and processes from accessing secured data storedon the systems, gaining control of processes executing on the systems,introducing new (e.g., malicious) processes to the systems, and/orgaining access for other purposes. Traditionally, a user may provide oneor more credentials to gain access to a system. Such credentials mayinclude a username, password, and/or personal identification number(PIN). By comparing the supplied credentials with previously establishedcredentials for the user, a determination may be made whether to permitor deny the requested access. In some instances, tokens such ascryptographic keys may be employed to authenticate an individual and/orverify that an individual or process is authorized to access a system.Cryptographic keys may also be employed to secure communications over anetwork.

SUMMARY

Implementations of the present disclosure are generally directed toauthentication of individuals using biometric and/or biologicallydetermined information. More specifically, implementations are directedto determining a body signature for an individual based on thepropagation of a signal through an individual's body, and employing thebody signature to authenticate the individual for secure access to adevice, stored data, an application, and/or an access-controlledphysical space.

In general, innovative aspects of the subject matter described in thisspecification can be embodied in methods that include actions of:receiving a signal that is transmitted, through at least a portion of abody of an individual, from a sending device to a receiving device whilethe sending device and the receiving device are both in physical contactwith the individual; determining a body signature for the individualbased at least partly on an alteration of the signal that is caused bypropagation of the signal through at least the portion of theindividual; and providing the body signature to authenticate theindividual.

Implementations can optionally include one or more of the followingfeatures: the sending device and the receiving device are included in abody area network (BAN) that is proximal to the individual; thereceiving device includes an epidermal patch configured to receive thesignal; the epidermal patch communicates the signal to a portablecomputing device over a wireless network; the receiving device is aportable computing device; the signal is an electrical signal; thesignal is a vibrational signal; the sending device is communicativelycoupled to a door controller mechanism that controls a door; theoperations further comprise: m response to authenticating theindividual, sending an access signal to instruct the door controllermechanism to open the door to provide access to the individual; and/orthe actions further include, in response to authenticating theindividual, sending an access signal to enable the individual to accessat least a portion of a client application executing on the sendingdevice, the receiving device, or a computing device that iscommunicatively coupled to at least one of the sending device or thereceiving device.

Other implementations of any of the above aspects include correspondingsystems, apparatus, and computer programs that are configured to performthe actions of the methods, encoded on computer storage devices. Thepresent disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage mediumcoupled to one or more processors and having instructions stored thereonwhich, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one ormore processors to perform operations in accordance with implementationsof the methods provided herein. The present disclosure further providesa system for implementing the methods provided herein. The systemincludes one or more processors, and a computer-readable storage mediumcoupled to the one or more processors having instructions stored thereonwhich, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one ormore processors to perform operations in accordance with implementationsof the methods provided herein.

Implementations of the present disclosure provide one or more of thefollowing advantages. By authenticating an individual using their bodysignature that is determined based on a signal propagated through theindividual's body, implementations provide an authentication techniquethat is unobtrusive and easy from the perspective of the individualbeing authenticated, with minimal effort required from the individual.This provides a more positive user experience compared to traditionaltechniques in which the individual may be required to remember and entera username, password, personal identification number (PIN), answers toknowledge-based questions (e.g., what is your mother's maiden name?),and/or other credential(s). Moreover, implementations provide anauthentication technique that is more secure and less vulnerable tospoofing compared to traditional authentication methods. Traditionaluser credentials (e.g., password, PIN, etc.) may be guessed or stolen,but a body signature based on signal propagation through theindividual's body would be much more difficult to spoof Implementationsfurther inhibit spoofing by correlating known and ongoing real-timebio-signal analysis from the user and device(s) on in a body areanetwork (BAN) of the user. For example, a user may be wearing a heartrate monitor, as a standalone sensor, fitness tracking device, wearablecomputer, and so forth. The monitor may communicate current heart rateinformation to the BAN and, based on this information, a determinationmay be made that the user is alive and that the determined bodysignature of the user is not pre-recorded as in a replay attack.

Implementations provide further technical improvements and advantagesover traditional authentication systems. Because traditional systems mayrequire users to accurately remember and enter user credentials (e.g.,username, password, PIN, etc.), traditional systems are susceptible tofailed attempts at authentication caused by wrong, mistyped, orforgotten credentials. By providing an authentication technique thatdoes not require the user to accurately remember and enter credentials,implementations may reduce or eliminate authentication failures, whichcan also be described as reducing friction. Accordingly, implementationsavoid the expenditure of processing capacity, memory, storage space,network bandwidth, and/or other computing resources that traditionalsystems need to expend to recover from failed authentication attempts,and/or to process multiple authentication attempts as the user attemptsto remember and correctly enter the appropriate credential(s).Implementations may surpass and/or bypass (e.g., leapfrog) traditionalsecure methods, such as the use of signatures (e.g., written or digital)or credentials, by providing passive authorization and/or authenticationbased on a detected body signature of the user.

Implementations also provide technical advantages over other, previouslyavailable biometric authentication techniques. Retinal/iris scannershave the potential to degrade the user's vision over time. Scanners forhandprints, palms, and fingers can be spoofed by lifting the print fromanother surface (for example using tape on a cell phone). Facialrecognition has its own points of failure, aside from the fact that theuser can fail to authenticate due to lighting variations, as well aschanges of hair style, glasses, and so forth. Implementations overcomeand/or improve on these shortcomings in traditional techniques throughuse of the body signature described herein.

Implementations may employ artificial intelligence and/or machinelearning techniques for biometric authentication and/or correlation ofbio-signal data (e.g., a body signature). For example, the software thatcreates, processes, retrieves, and/or examines the body signature maymaintain dynamic profiles with markers that remain the same over time,or markers that change over time, and the software may have thecapability to decide and learn these markers.

It is appreciated that aspects and features in accordance with thepresent disclosure can include any combination of the aspects andfeatures described herein. That is, aspects and features in accordancewith the present disclosure are not limited to the combinations ofaspects and features specifically described herein, but also include anycombination of the aspects and features provided.

The details of one or more implementations of the present disclosure areset forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Otherfeatures and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent fromthe description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an example system for authentication based on a signaltransmitted through an individual's body, according to implementationsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 depicts an example system for authentication based on a signaltransmitted through an individual's body, according to implementationsof the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an example process for authenticationbased on a signal transmitted through an individual's body, according toimplementations of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 depicts an example computing system, according to implementationsof the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Implementations of the present disclosure are directed to systems,devices, methods, and computer-readable media for authenticating anindividual based on a signal that is transmitted through at least aportion of an individual's body, and that is detected using one or moredevice(s) that are in physical contact with the individual. A signal,such as an electrical signal or a vibrational signal, may be transmittedfrom a first device that is in physical contact with the individual. Thesignal may be received by a second device that is in physical contactwith the individual. During its propagation through at least a portionof the individual's body, the signal may be altered based on theparticular physiology of the individual. The received signal may beemployed to determine a body signature for the individual. In someinstances, the body signature for an individual may uniquely identifythe individual among a population of individuals, given the particularalterations to the propagating signal caused by the individual's uniquephysiology. Accordingly, the body signature may be employed as a form ofbiometric data that is useable to authenticate the individual (e.g.,verify the individual's identity).

Implementations may be employed to authenticate the individual to gainaccess to secure data, log in to an application, gain access to use acomputing device, activate a smart appliance or other device, gainaccess to a physical space (e.g., open a door), authorize a payment,and/or for other purposes.

In some implementations, the transmitting device and/or receiving devicemay be included in a wireless network of devices such as a body areanetwork (BAN) in proximity to the individual. A BAN may include anysuitable number of BAN devices such as wearable computing devices (e.g.,watches, glasses, footwear, gloves, patches on the skin, smart jewelry,smart contact lenses, etc.), implanted computing devices (e.g.,implanted medical devices, pacemakers, hearing aids, dentures, fillings,crowns, etc.), and/or other devices that are carried or otherwiseconveyed by the individual (e.g., smartphones, tablets, etc.). A BAN mayalso include devices that are touched by the individual even if they arenot worn by, carried by, or implanted in the individual. For example, aBAN may include a transmitter and/or sensor in a doorknob that isconfigured to send and/or detect a signal that propagates through theindividual, as described further herein. The devices included in the BANmay communicate with one another wirelessly using any suitable wirelesscommunication protocol, such as a version of BlueTooth™, BlueTooth™ LowEnergy (BLE), WiFi™ (e.g., IEEE 802.11b, g, n, etc.), Near FieldCommunication (NFC) protocols, or others. As used herein, physicalcontact between a device and an individual may include contact betweenat least a portion of the device and at least a portion of at least onepart of the individual's body. Physical contact may include contact withthe individual's skin, bone, fingernails, toenails, cartilage, tendon,internal organs, external organs, and/or other physical aspects of theindividual. Physical contact may also include contact with theindividual's perspiration, blood, saliva, and/or other bodily fluids.

In some implementations, the signal is a vibrational (e.g., haptic)signal. For example, an individual may touch a device that is configuredto include one or more haptic actuators that cause a vibration. When theindividual is in contact with the device, the vibration may create shockwaves that propagate as a signal through the individual's body. In someinstances, the signal may be detected by the same device that caused thevibration (e.g., that sent the signal), such that the detected signal isan echo or reflection of the original signal. In some instances, thesignal may be detected by a different device, e.g., a device that isconnected with the sending device over a BAN. As the vibrationpropagates through the individual's body, it may encounter various typesof matter within the individual's body, such as bone, skin, organs,blood vessels, cartilage, and so forth, and such matter may alter thesignal in a way that is unique to the individual. The alteration of thesignal relative to the original signal may be employed to determine abody signature of the individual. In some implementations, the signal isa sonic signal such that the vibrations propagate through the body assound waves and are detected by a sonic detector (e.g., microphone).

In some implementations, the signal is an electrical signal such as a(e.g., small) current that passes through the individual. For example,the individual may touch a device that includes a cathode (or anode) ata voltage differential compared to ground. When the individual touchesthe device, a current may flow through the individual's body between thedevice and another device (e.g., a wearable device in a BAN). Thealteration of the electrical signal relative to the original signal maybe caused by the particular electrical impedance of those portion(s) ofthe individual's body through which the signal passes. Such alterationmay be employed to determine a body signature of the individual based ona comparison of the detected signal with the original signal. In someinstances, the transmitted signal may include multiple components atdifferent frequencies. The alteration of the various frequencycomponents of the signal (e.g., based on the frequency-dependentimpedance of the individual's body) may be used to determine the bodysignature of the individual.

In implementations where the signal is vibration or electrical, thesignal may be of a strength and/or amplitude that is sufficient topropagate the signal through at least a portion of the individual'sbody. The signal may also be of a strength and/or amplitude such thatthe signal does not cause pain or undue discomfort for the individual.

In some implementations, the signal is an electrical signal. Moreover,the signal may be an electrostatic signal that operates similarly to anelectrical signal, but time may factor into the calculation of thesignal. For example, the user may touch a BAN device such as a doorknob,POS terminal, etc., and a static charge may build up over time in theuser's body. The accumulated static charge may provide the signal usedto determine the user's body signature, e.g., as the charge isdischarged through a grounded BAN device. In some instances, such asignal may be employed to verify the user's identity for a transactionin involving the POS device or other device. For example, to make apayment, the authentication based on body signature may be completedwithin a window of time at a POS device. An implementation of anelectrostatic current over one second or less with a resistance betweenIOAS and IQA8 ohms would be sufficient to generate the body signature,and would neither unduly discomfort the individual nor unduly delay thetransaction in progress.

The body signature may be compared to a previously determined bodysignature of the individual and, based on a result of the comparison,the individual may be authenticated. In some implementations, thecomparison may allow for some fuzziness and a correspondence between acurrent body signature and a previous body signature may be determinedeven in instances where there is not an exact match between thesignatures. In some implementations, a correspondence is determined ifthere is a match between the signatures. In some implementations,machine learning (ML) may be employed to develop a model of variousinformation that identifies the individual, such as the individual'sbody signature. A determined body signature of the individual may becompared to the model to authenticate the individual. In someimplementations, the model is refined based on each instance ofdetermining a body signature of the individual, to account for possiblechanges in the body signature over time. For example, an individual'sbody signature may change (e.g., gradually) over time as the individualages, gains or loses weight, changes body composition (e.g., more orless muscle or fat), changes body chemistry, progresses through apregnancy, and so forth. A body signature may also vary based on theindividual's hydration level and/or water retention, and/or due tochanges in humidity and resulting sweat on the surface of the skin.

The body signature may be employed in a variety of scenarios toauthenticate the individual. For example, the individual may attempt toaccess a physical space such as their home, their office, an automatedteller machine (ATM) vestibule, and/or other areas where access islimited to authorized individuals. The individual may touch a devicethat transmits a signal through the individual. The received signal maybe analyzed to determine the individual's body signature, which may thenbe compared to a model body signature to verify the individual'sidentity. If the individual is successful authenticated based on thebody signature, the individual may be permitted to access the area(e.g., a door may be opened, an elevator activated, etc.). The bodysignature may also be used to authenticate the user in other scenarios,including but not limited to the following: to access (e.g., unlock) acomputing device; to access (e.g., log in to) an application; toactivate a device such as a smart appliance, vehicle, and so forth;and/or to authorize a payment or other transaction through apoint-of-sale (POS) terminal, ATM, vending machine, service kiosk, andso forth.

In each of these scenarios, there may be little or no explicit actionrequired of the individual beyond the individual touching an object thattransmits the signal. For example, when the individual picks up andholds their smartphone (or comes within proximity of a device whilewearing a transmitter), the smartphone may be activated in response to asuccessful authentication of the individual based on their bodysignature. As another example, when the individual approaches a door andgrasps a doorknob, the door may be opened in response to a successfulauthentication. As another example, when the individual grasps a vehiclesteering wheel to begin driving, the vehicle may be activated inresponse to a successful authentication. As another example, when theindividual attempts a purchase or other transaction, the individual maybe prompted to touch a portion of the POS terminal or other device thatsends the signal. The transaction may be allowed based the successfulauthentication of the individual.

In some implementations, an indication is provided to the individual toindicate the status of the access attempt. The indication may be avisual indication, an audio indication, a haptic (e.g., vibrational)indication, or other type of indication. For example, prior to graspingthe doorknob, a display device such as a light panel, light-emittingdiode (LED), or other type of display device may show a first output(e.g., a steady red light) indicating that the door is locked. Inresponse to the individual grasping the doorknob, and the through-bodysignal being sent, the display device may show a second output (e.g., aflashing red light) indicating that authentication is being attempted.If the individual is authenticated for access, the display device mayshow a third output (e.g., a steady green light) indicating that accesshas been granted, and the access signal has been sent to door controllerto unlock the door. If authentication is unsuccessful, the displaydevice may show a fourth output or the first output again, to indicateaccess is denied. In some implementations, the indication includes anaudio output in addition to or instead of the visual output, such as asequence of beeps or tones of various pitches and/or durations toindicate the various stages of the authentication attempt.

As another example, some physical security protocols employ turn-styleentries, revolving doors, and/or other mechanisms to prevent multipleindividuals from entering a secure area following the grant of accessbased on credentials of one user. In such instances, the user can beprompted to touch the turn-style door or other object, the bodysignature may be measured and verified, and an indicator light or otheroutput may be presented to indicate that the single user can passthrough.

Similar status indications may also be provided in different scenariosin which a through-body signal is used to authenticate an individual,such as when the individual is attempting access to a POS terminal, anATM, some other type of kiosk, a portable computing device (e.g.,smartphone access), and/or an application executing on the individual'sportable computing device.

Accordingly, implementations provide an authentication technique that isunobtrusive and easy from the perspective of the individual beingauthenticated, with minimal effort required from the individual. Thisprovides a more positive user experience compared to traditionaltechniques in which the individual may be required to remember and entera username, password, personal identification number (PIN), answers toknowledge-based questions (e.g., what is your mother's maiden name?),and/or other credential(s). Moreover, implementations provide anauthentication technique that is more secure and less vulnerable tospoofing compared to traditional authentication methods. Traditionaluser credentials (e.g., password, PIN, etc.) may be guessed or stolen,but a body signature based on signal propagation through theindividual's body would be much more difficult to spoof In instanceswhere the body signature is generated in real time, it may beparticularly difficult to spoof given that it may be generated for eachinstance of authentication and may not be permanently stored.

In some implementations, one or more passively detected indicatorsand/or markers may be determined for a user and compared to a known setof such indicator(s) and/or marker(s) for the user. For example, a usermay hold their smartphone and the user's particular hand density and/orstructure may determine the body signature used to identify the user, bycomparing the determined body signature to registered signature for theuser. Such a result may be used in conjunction with other bodysignature(s) and/or other biometric data collected from one or moreother devices, including but not limited to: a headphone or hearing aid,to determine a signature based on a signal sent through the ear canal; asmart bracelet, to determine a signature based on the density, size,and/or other characteristics of the user's wrist; a smart pendant, todetermine a signature based on the density and/or other characteristicsof the user's chest; smart earrings, to determine a signature based on asignal sent through the earlobe and/or other metrics such as earlobedensity, blood flow, heart rate, heart rhythm patterns, etc.; smartshoes, to determine a signature based on the density and/or othercharacteristics of the user's feet and/or other metrics such as thewalking/running pace, cadence, patterns, pronation or supination of thefeet, etc.; and/or a smart belt, to determine a signature based on thesize, density, and/or other characteristics of the user's waist and/orother metrics such as cadence. Implementations may pair any suitablenumber of devices, and may employ one or many measurement results toverify the identity of the user.

FIG. 1 depicts an example system for authentication based on a signaltransmitted through an individual's body, according to implementationsof the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 1, an individual 102is attempting to access a secure space (e.g., home, office, ATMvestibule, etc.) through a door 104. The individual 102 may have aportable client device 130, such as a smartphone, tablet, wearablecomputer, and so forth. The individual 102 may be wearing a BAN device110(2). In some examples, the BAN device 110(2) is an epidermal patchthat is configured to adhere to the individual's skin, and that includescomponents for detecting and receiving a signal 112 (e.g., vibrationaland/or electrical signal). The BAN device 110(2) may also includewireless network transceiver(s) to enable the BAN device 110(2) tocommunicate over a BAN 108 with the client device 130 and/or otherdevice(s). In some implementations, the BAN device 110(2) may includehardware and/or software components for signal processing or otheroperations. Although the example of FIG. 1 shows the BAN device 110(2)as an epidermal patch device adhered to the user's wrist,implementations support any suitable type of BAN device 110 located inany suitable location on, near, and/or implanted inside the user's body.

The individual 102 may approach and grasp an object that is attached toor in proximity to the door 104. In the example of FIG. 1, the object isa doorknob 106 attached to the door 104. The doorknob 106 may include aBAN device 110(1) that is configured to send the signal 112. When theindividual 102 is in physical contact with the doorknob 106, the BANdevice 110(1) may send the signal 112. In some instances, the BAN device110(1) may always be sending the signal 112 regardless of whether anyoneis touching the doorknob 106. In some instances, the BAN device 110(1)may begin sending the signal 112 in response to detecting someonetouching the doorknob 106. In some instances, the BAN device 110(1) maybegin sending the signal 112 when the individual 102 is in proximity tothe door 104. For example, the client device 130 may emit a signal (NFC,BLE, etc.) that indicates the proximity of the client device 130 and/orindividual 102. The BAN device 110(1) may begin sending the signal 112in response to detecting the proximity indication signal from the clientdevice 130. As another example, the client device 130 may determine itslocation based on a satellite-based navigation system such as the globalpositioning system (GPS) or other system, and the client device 130 maycommunicate its location to the server device(s) 120. Based on thelocation, the server device(s) 120 may determine that the client device130 and/or individual 102 is in proximity to the door 104 and, inresponse, the server device(s) 120 may send a signal to cause the BANdevice 110(1) to begin transmitting the signal 112.

The signal 112 may propagate through the individual's body, or at leasta portion thereof, to be received by the BAN device 110(2), e.g., anepidermal patch computing device worn by the individual 102. In someinstances, the signal 112 may be conveyed through the individual's bodyindependently of the BAN 108 that connects the BAN devices 110 using awireless networking protocol, e.g., the signal 112 may be sentout-of-band with respect to the BAN 108.

In some implementations, the BAN device 110(2) may communicate thesignal 112 to the client device 130 over the BAN 108. The client device130 may include a receiver 114, such as a network interface controller(NIC) suitable to receive wireless communications over the BAN 108. Thereceiver 114 may provide the received signal 112 to a signal analyzer116. In some implementations, the signal analyzer 116 may process thesignal 112 to generate a body signature 118(1) of the individual basedon the signal 112. For example, the signal analyzer 116 may extract atime portion of the signal 112 for use as the body signature 118(1). Asanother example, the signal analyzer 116 may compare the received signal112 to the original signal sent by the BAN device 110(1), and thedifferential(s) between the two signals may be provided as the bodysignature 118(1). The signal analyzer 116 may also perform other typesof processing on the signal 112 to generate the body signature 118(1),such as a Fourier transform from a time domain to a frequency domain. Insome implementations, the received signal 112 itself may be provided asthe body signature 118(1), e.g., without any signal processing on theclient device 130.

The body signature 118(1) may be communicated, over one or morenetworks, to one or more server devices 120. In some implementations, anidentifier of the individual 102 may also be sent to the serverdevice(s) 120 as part of an access request and/or identity assertion.The server device(s) 120 may include any suitable number and type ofcomputing device. FIG. 1 depicts an example in which the signal 112 issent to the client device 130 over the BAN 108, and the client device130 determines and sends the body signature 118(1) to the serverdevice(s) 120 over the internet or other network(s). In someimplementations, the signal 112 may be sent from the BAN device 110(2)to the server device(s) 120 without using a separate client device 130as intermediary. In some implementations, the BAN device 110(2) mayinclude a signal analysis component that generates the body signature118(1) based on the received signal 112, and the BAN device 110(2) maycommunicate the body signature 118(1) to the server device(s) 120without using a separate client device 130 as intermediary.

The server device(s) 120 may execute one or more authentication modules122. The authentication module(s) 122 may receive the body signature118(1) and compare it to a previously determined body signature 118(2)associated with the individual 102. In some implementations, the bodysignature 118(2) of an individual 102 may be included in profileinformation 124 for the individual 102. The profile information 124 maybe stored on the server device(s) 120 or elsewhere. In someimplementations, the body signature 118(2) may be included in a model ofthe individual 102, and the model may be developed and refined using anysuitable ML technique as described above.

Implementations may employ a ML profiling algorithm that exhibits up tothree aspects which may define an artificial intelligence system:learning, remembering, and reasoning. Per the learning aspect, the modelmay be trained based on a user's biometric data, and may evolve (e.g.,be refined) with each use of the model. Per the remembering aspect,storage of the model in the profile information of a user may beefficient and changeable. Per the reasoning aspect, body signature maybe analyzed, in some instances in combination with other biometric data,to determine whether any fluctuations are normal or not, and accountingfor possible changes in the signature and/or profile over time (e.g., toaccommodate changes in the user's body over time).

In some implementations, the authentication module(s) 122 may determinethat the individual 102 is successfully authenticated if the bodysignature 118(1) matches the body signature 118(2). In someimplementations, the authentication module(s) 122 may determine that theindividual 102 is successfully authenticated if the body signaturesufficiently corresponds to the body signature 118(2), such that thereis an above-threshold confidence that the individual 102 is who theyclaim to be (e.g., through the asserted access request). For example, adifference between the waveforms of the body signatures 118(1) and118(2) may be calculated and authentication may be successful if thedifference is below a predetermined threshold. As another example, thefrequency components of the waveforms may be compared to determine adifferent between one or more frequency components, the authenticationmay be successful if the difference(s) are sufficiently low. In someimplementations, an initial signature generation may be performed duringa registration process when the user registered with the service. At thestate of device usage, the machine learning algorithm may be trained toassociate the user's body signature with a new profile created for theuser. This may take longer than an authentication using credentials, butin most instances no longer than three minutes.

If authentication is successful, the authentication module(s) 122 maysend an access signal 126 to a door controller 128 over one or morenetworks. The door controller 128 may respond to the access signal 126by opening the door 104 and allowing the individual 102 to access thesecure area. The door controller 128 may include any suitable number andtype of components to open a door, such as mechanical, electrical,hydraulic, pneumatic, and/or other types of components.

In some implementations, if authentication not successful theauthentication module(s) 122 may communicate the authentication failureto the client device 130. The individual 102 may be prompted tore-attempt authentication by grasping the doorknob 106 again. In someimplementations, the individual 102 may be permitted a certain number offailed access attempts before being locked out of further attempts,either permanently or for a predetermined cool-down period (e.g., fiveminutes).

In some implementations, additional information may be employed toauthenticate the individual 102 attempting to access the secure areathrough the door. For example, location information from the clientdevice 130 may be received by the authentication module(s) 122 andemployed to confirm that the individual 102 is actually in proximity tothe door 104. As another example, one or more external sensors (e.g.,camera, heat sensors, etc.) may be positioned in proximity to the door104 to confirm the presence of the individual 102 at the door 104.

The implementations depicted in FIG. 1 may be similarly applied tocontrol operations of a smart appliance, vehicle, or other object. Forexample, the BAN device 110(1) may be placed in the handle of anappliance (e.g., lawnmower) a vehicle, or in a vehicle steering wheel,to ensure that the appliance or vehicle is operable only in response toa successful authentication of the individual 102 based on their bodysignature 118. In such examples, the access signal 126 may be sent to anonboard computer in the appliance or vehicle, and the onboard computermay respond to the access signal 126 by activating the appliance orvehicle. The implementations depicted in FIG. 1 may be similarly appliedto authorize a transaction requested by the individual 102, such as apurchase, funds withdrawal, funds transfer, and so forth. In suchinstances, the BAN device 110(1) may be included in a POS terminal, ATM,vending machine, service kiosk, or other object. The access signal 126may be sent to the object to indicate that the individual's identity hasbeen verified and to authorize the transaction requested by theindividual 102.

In some instances, the access signal may also communicate or beassociated with personalized settings for the individual 102. Forexample, if the individual 102 is entering a vehicle, the access signalmay include or otherwise be associated with settings to adjust the seatposition, mirrors, steering wheel, and/or other objects to positionspreviously set for the individual 102.

FIG. 2 depicts an example system for authentication based on a signaltransmitted through an individual's body, according to implementationsof the present disclosure. The elements shown in FIG. 2 may beconfigured similarly to like-numbered elements in FIG. 1, and mayperform similar operations as those performed by like-numbered elementsin FIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 2, the individual's body signature 118may be employed to authenticate the individual 102 to access (e.g., login to) a client application 202 executing on the client device 130.Similarly, the individual's body signature 118 may be employed toauthenticate the individual 102 to access secure data, secure sectionsof the client application 202, or to activate (e.g., unlock) the clientdevice 130 itself

In some implementations, the BAN 108 may include multiple wearable BANdevices 110. In the example of FIG. 2, the BAN 108 connects a BAN device110(1) such as an epidermal patch and a second BAN device 110(2), e.g.,located on the individual's foot. The second BAN device 110(2) may be incontact with ground (e.g., electrical ground). The BAN device 110(1) maysend the signal 112 which propagates through the individual's body tothe BAN device 110(2). Alternatively, the signal 112 may be sent fromthe BAN device 110(2) to the BAN device 110(1). The received signal 112may be communicated over the BAN 108 to the client device 130, which mayprocess the signal 112 as described above. The client device 130 mayprovide the body signature 118(1) to the authentication module(s) 122,which may authenticate the individual 102 based on a correspondencebetween the body signatures 118(1) and 118(2) as described above. Ifauthentication is successful, the access signal 126 may be sent toinstruct the client application 202 to allow the individual 102 therequested access to the application 202 or the client device 130 itself.If authentication is not successful, a failure notification may becommunicated to the client device 130 for presentation on the clientdevice 130.

In some implementations, the signal 112 may be transmitted between theBAN devices 110 in response to the client device 130 being held by theindividual 102. In some implementations, the signal 112 may betransmitted between the BAN devices 110 in response to a particulargesture or command of the individual 102 to request access to the clientapplication 202 and/or client device operating system. Accordingly, thesignal 112 may not be transmitted through the individual's body unlessthe individual 102 is attempting an access, to the client device 130and/or client application 202, that requires an authentication of theindividual 102.

FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an example process for authenticationbased on a signal transmitted through an individual's body, according toimplementations of the present disclosure. Operations of the process maybe performed by one or more of the signal analyzer 116, theauthentication module(s) 122, the client application 202, and/or othersoftware module(s) executing on the client device 130, the BAN device(s)110, the server device(s) 120, or elsewhere.

A signal 112 may be received (302). As described above, the signal 112may be transmitted through at least a portion of the body of theindividual 102. The signal 112 may be an electrical signal, avibrational signal, or other suitable type of signal.

The received signal 112 may be employed to determine (304) a bodysignature 118 for the individual 102. As described above, the bodysignature 118 may reflect the unique manner in which the particularphysiology of the individual 102 alters the signal 112 as it propagatesthrough the individual's body. Accordingly, the body signature 118 maycorrespond, in some instances uniquely, to the individual 102.

The determined body signature 118 may be compared (306) to a previouslydetermined and stored (e.g., model) body signature 118 of the individual102. If the body signatures 118 correspond (308), the individual 102 maybe determined to be successfully authenticated (312). In such instances,the requested access may be provided (314) to the individual 102. If thesignatures do not correspond, the individual 102 may not beauthenticated (310). In some implementations, the process may return to302 and allow one or more subsequent attempts at authentication.

In some implementations, the correspondence between the body signatures118 may be exact for successful authentication. In some implementations,the correspondence may be fuzzy or approximate, to allow for some (e.g.,below threshold) difference between the body signatures 118. Suchfuzziness may account for certain minor and inherent differences in thepropagation of a signal 112 through the individual's body betweeninstances of propagation. As described above, in some implementationsthe model body signature 118(2) of an individual 102 may be refined(316) or otherwise adjusted if a current body signature 118(1) differsfrom the model, when such differences are below threshold to permitsuccessful authentication. In this way, implementations may account forthe changes in an individual's body signature 118 over time.

Implementations may enable authentication of an individual 102 based ontheir body signature 118. In some instances, the body signature 118 maybe employed in combination with other forms of authentication to achievegreater confidence in an authentication result. For example, the bodysignature 118 may be employed in combination with credential-basedauthentication using a login, password, PIN, knowledge-based questionanswers, and/or other types of credentials, token-based authentication(e.g., OAuth), and so forth. The body signature 118 may also be employedin combination with other types of biometric authentication, such asauthentication based on fingerprints, retinal scans, heartbeatdetection, neural activity (e.g., brain wave) patterns, voice printanalysis, body chemistry measurement, facial recognition, and so forth.

FIG. 4 depicts an example computing system, according to implementationsof the present disclosure. The system 400 may be used for any of theoperations described with respect to the various implementationsdiscussed herein. For example, the system 400 may be included, at leastin part, in one or more of the client device 130, the server device(s)120, the BAN device(s) 110, and/or other device(s) described herein. Thesystem 400 may include one or more processors 410, a memory 420, one ormore storage devices 430, and one or more input/output (I/O) devices 450controllable through one or more I/O interfaces 440. The variouscomponents 410, 420, 430, 440, or 450 may be interconnected through atleast one system bus 460, which may enable the transfer of data betweenthe various modules and components of the system 400.

The processor(s) 410 may be configured to process instructions forexecution within the system 400. The processor(s) 410 may includesingle-threaded processor(s), multi-threaded processor(s), or both. Theprocessor(s) 410 may be configured to process instructions stored in thememory 420 or on the storage device(s) 430. The processor(s) 410 mayinclude hardware-based processor(s) each including one or more cores.The processor(s) 410 may include general purpose processor(s), specialpurpose processor(s), or both.

The memory 420 may store information within the system 400. In someimplementations, the memory 420 includes one or more computer-readablemedia. The memory 420 may include any number of volatile memory units,any number of non-volatile memory units, or both volatile andnon-volatile memory units. The memory 420 may include read-only memory,random access memory, or both. In some examples, the memory 420 may beemployed as active or physical memory by one or more executing softwaremodules.

The storage device(s) 430 may be configured to provide (e.g.,persistent) mass storage for the system 400. In some implementations,the storage device(s) 430 may include one or more computer-readablemedia. For example, the storage device(s) 430 may include a floppy diskdevice, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, or a tape device.The storage device(s) 430 may include read-only memory, random accessmemory, or both. The storage device(s) 430 may include one or more of aninternal hard drive, an external hard drive, or a removable drive.

One or both of the memory 420 or the storage device(s) 430 may includeone or more computer-readable storage media (CRSM). The CRSM may includeone or more of an electronic storage medium, a magnetic storage medium,an optical storage medium, a magneto-optical storage medium, a quantumstorage medium, a mechanical computer storage medium, and so forth. TheCRSM may provide storage of computer-readable instructions describingdata structures, processes, applications, programs, other modules, orother data for the operation of the system 400. In some implementations,the CRSM may include a data store that provides storage ofcomputer-readable instructions or other information in a non-transitoryformat. The CRSM may be incorporated into the system 400 or may beexternal with respect to the system 400. The CRSM may include read-onlymemory, random access memory, or both. One or more CRSM suitable fortangibly embodying computer program instructions and data may includeany type of non-volatile memory, including but not limited to:semiconductor memory devices, such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memorydevices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks and removable disks;magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. In some examples,the processor(s) 410 and the memory 420 may be supplemented by, orincorporated into, one or more application-specific integrated circuits(ASICs).

The system 400 may include one or more I/O devices 450. The I/Odevice(s) 450 may include one or more input devices such as a keyboard,a mouse, a pen, a game controller, a touch input device, an audio inputdevice (e.g., a microphone), a gestural input device, a haptic inputdevice, an image or video capture device (e.g., a camera), or otherdevices. In some examples, the I/O device(s) 450 may also include one ormore output devices such as a display, LED(s), an audio output device(e.g., a speaker), a printer, a haptic output device, and so forth. TheI/O device(s) 450 may be physically incorporated in one or morecomputing devices of the system 400, or may be external with respect toone or more computing devices of the system 400.

The system 400 may include one or more I/O interfaces 440 to enablecomponents or modules of the system 400 to control, interface with, orotherwise communicate with the I/O device(s) 450. The I/O interface(s)440 may enable information to be transferred in or out of the system400, or between components of the system 400, through serialcommunication, parallel communication, or other types of communication.For example, the I/O interface(s) 440 may comply with a version of theRS-232 standard for serial ports, or with a version of the IEEE 1284standard for parallel ports. As another example, the I/O interface(s)440 may be configured to provide a connection over Universal Serial Bus(USB) or Ethernet. In some examples, the I/O interface(s) 440 may beconfigured to provide a serial connection that is compliant with aversion of the IEEE 1394 standard.

The I/O interface(s) 440 may also include one or more network interfacesthat enable communications between computing devices in the system 400,or between the system 400 and other network-connected computing systems.The network interface(s) may include one or more network interfacecontrollers (NICs) or other types of transceiver devices configured tosend and receive communications over one or more networks using anynetwork protocol.

Computing devices of the system 400 may communicate with one another, orwith other computing devices, using one or more networks. Such networksmay include public networks such as the internet, private networks suchas an institutional or personal intranet, or any combination of privateand public networks. The networks may include any type of wired orwireless network, including but not limited to local area networks(LANs), wide area networks (WANs), wireless WANs (WWANs), wireless LANs(WLANs), mobile communications networks (e.g., 3G, 4G, Edge, etc.), andso forth. In some implementations, the communications between computingdevices may be encrypted or otherwise secured. For example,communications may employ one or more public or private cryptographickeys, ciphers, digital certificates, or other credentials supported by asecurity protocol, such as any version of the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)or the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol.

The system 400 may include any number of computing devices of any type.The computing device(s) may include, but are not limited to: a personalcomputer, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable computer, animplanted computer, a mobile gaming device, an electronic book reader,an automotive computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, anotebook computer, a game console, a home entertainment device, anetwork computer, a server computer, a mainframe computer, a distributedcomputing device (e.g., a cloud computing device), a microcomputer, asystem on a chip (SoC), a system in a package (SiP), and so forth.Although examples herein may describe computing device(s) as physicaldevice(s), implementations are not so limited. In some examples, acomputing device may include one or more of a virtual computingenvironment, a hypervisor, an emulation, or a virtual machine executingon one or more physical computing devices. In some examples, two or morecomputing devices may include a cluster, cloud, farm, or other groupingof multiple devices that coordinate operations to provide loadbalancing, failover support, parallel processing capabilities, sharedstorage resources, shared networking capabilities, or other aspects.

Implementations and all of the functional operations described in thisspecification may be realized in digital electronic circuitry, or incomputer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structuresdisclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or incombinations of one or more of them. Implementations may be realized asone or more computer program products, i.e., one or more modules ofcomputer program instructions encoded on a computer readable medium forexecution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus.The computer readable medium may be a machine-readable storage device, amachine-readable storage substrate, a memory device, a composition ofmatter effecting a machine-readable propagated signal, or a combinationof one or more of them. The term “computing system” encompasses allapparatus, devices, and machines for processing data, including by wayof example a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple processorsor computers. The apparatus may include, in addition to hardware, codethat creates an execution environment for the computer program inquestion, e.g., code that constitutes processor firmware, a protocolstack, a database management system, an operating system, or acombination of one or more of them. A propagated signal is anartificially generated signal, e.g., a machine-generated electrical,optical, or electromagnetic signal that is generated to encodeinformation for transmission to suitable receiver apparatus.

A computer program (also known as a program, software, softwareapplication, script, or code) may be written in any appropriate form ofprogramming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, andit may be deployed in any appropriate form, including as a standaloneprogram or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitablefor use in a computing environment. A computer program does notnecessarily correspond to a file in a file system. A program may bestored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g.,one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a singlefile dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinatedfiles (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, orportions of code). A computer program may be deployed to be executed onone computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site ordistributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communicationnetwork.

The processes and logic flows described in this specification may beperformed by one or more programmable processors executing one or morecomputer programs to perform functions by operating on input data andgenerating output. The processes and logic flows may also be performedby, and apparatus may also be implemented as, special purpose logiccircuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC(application specific integrated circuit).

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, byway of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, andany one or more processors of any appropriate kind of digital computer.Generally, a processor may receive instructions and data from a readonly memory or a random access memory or both. Elements of a computercan include a processor for performing instructions and one or morememory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computermay also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from ortransfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storingdata, e.g., magnetic, magneto optical disks, or optical disks. However,a computer need not have such devices. Moreover, a computer may beembedded in another device, e.g., a mobile telephone, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a mobile audio player, a Global Positioning System(GPS) receiver, to name just a few. Computer readable media suitable forstoring computer program instructions and data include all forms ofnon-volatile memory, media and memory devices, including by way ofexample semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flashmemory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removabledisks; magneto optical disks; and CD ROM and DVD-ROM disks. Theprocessor and the memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in,special purpose logic circuitry.

To provide for interaction with a user, implementations may be realizedon a computer having a display device, e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) orLCD (liquid crystal display) monitor, for displaying information to theuser and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball,by which the user may provide input to the computer. Other kinds ofdevices may be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; forexample, feedback provided to the user may be any appropriate form ofsensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactilefeedback; and input from the user may be received in any appropriateform, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input.

Implementations may be realized in a computing system that includes aback end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes amiddleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes afront end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical UI or aweb browser through which a user may interact with an implementation, orany appropriate combination of one or more such back end, middleware, orfront end components. The components of the system may be interconnectedby any appropriate form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., acommunication network. Examples of communication networks include alocal area network (“LAN”) and a wide area network (“WAN”), e.g., theInternet.

The computing system may include clients and servers. A client andserver are generally remote from each other and typically interactthrough a communication network. The relationship of client and serverarises by virtue of computer programs running on the respectivecomputers and having a client-server relationship to each other.

While this specification contains many specifics, these should not beconstrued as limitations on the scope of the disclosure or of what maybe claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific toparticular implementations. Certain features that are described in thisspecification in the context of separate implementations may also beimplemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely,various features that are described in the context of a singleimplementation may also be implemented in multiple implementationsseparately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, althoughfeatures may be described above as acting in certain combinations andeven initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimedcombination may in some examples be excised from the combination, andthe claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination orvariation of a sub-combination.

Similarly, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particularorder, this should not be understood as requiring that such operationsbe performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, orthat all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desirableresults. In certain circumstances, multitasking and parallel processingmay be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various systemcomponents in the implementations described above should not beunderstood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and itshould be understood that the described program components and systemsmay generally be integrated together in a single software product orpackaged into multiple software products.

A number of implementations have been described. Nevertheless, it willbe understood that various modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the disclosure. For example, various formsof the flows shown above may be used, with steps re-ordered, added, orremoved. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: an epidural patchconfigured to be disposed on a body of an individual and configured toreceive a signal transmitted through the body; a monitoring devicecomprising at least one processor and configured to: receive the signalvia the epidural patch; determine a body signature for the individualbased on an alteration of the signal that is caused by propagation ofthe signal through the body of the individual; authenticate an identityof the individual based on the body signature and a model body signatureassociated with the individual, wherein the model body signature isdetermined based on one or more changes to the body signature over time;and communicate the body signature to a computing device over a wirelessnetwork to facilitate performance of an operation in response to theidentity of the individual being authenticated.
 2. The system of claim1, wherein the model body signature is determined based on a machinelearning algorithm configured to refine the model body signature afterthe at least one processor authenticates the identity of the individual.3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more changes to the bodysignature comprise a change in age of the individual, a change in weightof the individual, a change in body composition of the individual, achange in body chemistry of the individual, a change in hydration levelof the individual, or any combination thereof.
 4. The system of claim 1,wherein the model body signature is determined based on one or morechanges to an environment surrounding the individual over time.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the one or more changes to the environmentcomprises a change in humidity.
 6. The system of claim 1, comprising thecomputing device, wherein the computing device is configured to operatean automated teller machine or a point of sale machine.
 7. The system ofclaim 1, comprising the computing device, wherein the operationcomprises providing access to an area, providing access to the computingdevice, or authorizing a payment.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein theat least one processor is configured to: receive an additional bodysignature from an additional monitoring device; and authenticate theidentity of the individual based on the body signature and theadditional body signature.
 9. The system of claim 8, wherein theadditional monitoring device comprises a headphone, a hearing aid, asmart bracelet, a smart pendant, a smart earring, a smart shoe, or asmart belt.
 10. A system, comprising: a mobile computing deviceconfigured to broadcast a first signal indicative of a location of themobile computing device; a body area network (BAN) device configured totransmit a second signal through a body of an individual in response todetecting that the location of the mobile computing device is within athreshold distance of the BAN device based on the first signal; amonitoring device configured to: receive the second signal while the BANdevice and the monitoring device are both in physical contact with thebody; determine a body signature for the individual based on analteration of the second signal that is caused by propagation of thesecond signal through the body; authenticate an identity of theindividual based on the body signature and a model body signatureassociated with the individual, wherein the model body signature isdetermined based on one or more changes to the body signature over time;and communicate the body signature to a computing device over a wirelessnetwork, wherein the computing device is configured to perform anoperation in response to the identity of the individual beingauthenticated.
 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile computingdevice is configured to determine the location of the mobile computingdevice based on a global positioning system.
 12. The system of claim 10,wherein the monitoring device is configured to determine the bodysignature by applying a Fourier transform on a third signal thatcorresponds to the second signal being altered due to the propagation ofthe second signal through the body.
 13. The system of claim 10, whereinthe monitoring device is configured to authenticate the identity of theindividual by: sending the body signature to a server device; andreceiving a determination with regard to an authenticity of the identityof the individual from the server device.
 14. The system of claim 13,wherein the server device is configured to make the determination withregard to the authenticity of the identity of the individual based on amachine learning profiling algorithm configured to generate the modelbody signature based on biometric data associated with the individual.15. The system of claim 10, wherein the monitoring device is configuredto authenticate the identity of the individual based on biometric dataassociated with the individual, wherein the biometric data comprises afingerprint associated with the individual, a retinal scan associatedwith the individual, neural activity associated with the individual,voice print associated with the individual, facial data associated withthe individual, or any combination thereof.
 16. The system of claim 10,wherein the BAN device comprises an epidural patch configured to bedisposed on the body of the individual.
 17. A method, comprising:receiving, via at least one processor, a signal via a body area network(BAN) device, wherein the signal is transmitted through at least a bodyof an individual, wherein the signal is transmitted from the BAN devicewhile the BAN device is in physical contact with the individual;determining, via the at least one processor, a body signature for theindividual based on an alteration of the signal that is caused bypropagation of the signal through the body of the individual;authenticating, via the at least one processor, an identity of theindividual based on the body signature and a model body signatureassociated with the individual, wherein the model body signature isdetermined based on one or more changes to the body signature over time;and communicating, via the at least one processor, the body signature toa computing device over a wireless network to facilitate an operation inresponse to the identity of the individual being authenticated.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the BAN device comprises an epidural patch.19. The method of claim 17, wherein the model of the body signature isdetermined by: training the model of the body signature based onbiometric data associated with individual; storing the model of the bodysignature in a storage component; monitoring one or more fluctuations inthe body signature as determined over time; and adjusting the model ofthe body signature based on the one or more fluctuations in the bodysignature.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the biometric datacomprises a fingerprint associated with the individual, a retinal scanassociated with the individual, neural activity associated with theindividual, voice print associated with the individual, facial dataassociated with the individual, or any combination thereof.